Cassel, Henne signings likely take Vick out of play for Vikings, Jaguars

Posted by Mike Florio on March 8, 2014, 2:15 PM EST

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As quarterback Mike Vick prepares to become a free agent for the first time since the days after he gained his freedom in 2009, a couple of potential candidates can be crossed off the list.

In recent days, the Jaguars and Vikings had emerged as potentially interested teams. On Friday, both re-signed veteran quarterbacks for amounts that would make it unlikely that another veteran quarterback will be signed at a similar rate.

Per a league source, Vick is unlikely to have any interest in either team given the re-signings of Chad Henne in Jacksonville and Matt Cassel in Minnesota.

As to the Jaguars, word emerged only recently that they had interest. Some believe that the interest wasn’t genuine, and that it was part of the effort to get Henne to agree to terms.

As to the Vikings, the possibility of signing Vick emerged after tailback Adrian Peterson played G.M.-for-a-tweet and lobbied the team to sign the former Falcons and Eagles starter. In the aftermath of Peterson’s passive-aggressive power play, it was believed that Vick could land with the Vikings, if Matt Cassel signed elsewhere. With Cassel now getting a reported $10 million over two years, it makes little sense for the Vikings to spend as much if not more for Vick.

Both teams have first-round quarterbacks from 2011 on the roster, but each has a very reasonable salary for 2014. Blaine Gabbert, the 10th pick three years ago, has a base salary of $2.011 million. Christian Ponder, the 12th selection in 2011, will earn $1.76 million. Both will be much cheaper than a veteran free agent with similar experience.

Look for both teams to add at least one rookie, and for neither to be interested in a veteran who would want as much or more than the amounts to be paid to Henne and Cassel. Also look for Vick to look for a team where he’ll be paid as much or more than Cassel received in Minnesota — and where Vick will have a legitimate chance to win the starting job.

While Vick may be an immediate upgrade for a few teams, he’s not getting any younger and is too injury prone. His passing game doesn’t scare anyone, it was the threat of him running for yards that made him dangerous. But has he ever played a full season? If he’s your starter, you better have a quality backup.

“Passive aggressive power play”…give me a break. He was simply playing along with the tweet from NFL Network that asked, “Mike Vick would instantly make ____ a playoff contender”. It was probably ill-advised all the same, but AP has already shown he’s not the brightest bulb.

And the Vikings are still in play until it is proven that they don’t find a way to trade Ponder (same with the Jags and Gabbert). Who wouldn’t want a young inexpensive QB like that except for the team trying to trade him; happy bidding everyone!

The fact that Henne and Cassel signed a couple days before free agency probably indicates that the offers they got were only on the table until free agency opened. Take it or we offer it to the next guy. Henne’s deal was no different from the one he signed two years ago with the Jags. Same bonus, an extra $150k first year base salary. Nothing has changed in terms of the QB situation in Jax, and isn’t likely to after the draft. Quarterback isn’t the issue there.

Bad move. Why not draft a QB and have Ponder be the backup for pennies? Vick would have been a better backup than Cassel or Henne. But none of the QBs in this article are any more than a backup. These teams must look to draft a starter.

Mike Vick is not a starter in the NFL, but neither are 8 or 10 other guys. Tough call for a team to have to choose between a horrible QB and a terrible QB. Not a winning formula. No matter where Vick ends up, he will be on a team that is and has been losing. A team that will not win.

The NFL needs to get with the NCAA and have the NCAA develop more passing QBs. The college trend has seen teams moving to the option system for whatever reason. I guess they can get a few years out of it before it goes back the other way, but it has been terrible for the NFL. All we see now is NFL fans trying to explain why guys who can’t throw the ball are such great QBs. If the NFL doesn’t get proactive, the fan base will end up like NASCARs.

Michael Vick should thank his better angels that Andy Reid and the Eagles’FO were willing to give him a chance (when they still had McNabb), and that he’s had a career as a starter at Atlanta and Philly. At this point in his life he should tone down the bravado and accept the fact that his starting days are about over (or have been over for a while), and sign on to be a backup (in Philly, or elsewhere).

If he’d been a producer in Philly, and a constant playoff threat, maybe things might be different. But they gave him enough weapons to get it done, and he didn’t. Time to move on.